feu versus peu
/fø/ vs /pø/
Change the contrasting sound while keeping the other sounds steady.
A2+ · Français des urgences
Témoin d'accident: French dialogue with IPA and English
Follow all six turns, inspect the pronunciation, and practise the contrasts that matter inside this situation.
Six turns for this web role-play
French conversation, IPA, and English meaning
- MoiJ'ai vu la voiture griller le feu rouge!1
/ʒe vy la vwatyʁ ɡʁije lə fø ʁuʒ/
I saw the car run the red light!Feu is /fø/ and rouge is /ʁuʒ/. Griller has /j/ in this reference reading.
- PolicierPouvez-vous faire une déclaration officielle?2
/puve vu fɛʁ yn deklaʁasjɔ̃ ɔfisjɛl/
Can you make an official statement? - MoiOui, le conducteur roulait très vite.3
/wi lə kɔ̃dyktœʁ ʁulɛ tʁɛ vit/
Yes, the driver was driving very fast. - PolicierAvez-vous relevé le numéro de la plaque?4
/ave vu ʁələve lə nymeʁo də la plak/
Did you note down the license plate number? - MoiJ'ai pris une photo avec mon smartphone.5
/ʒe pʁi yn fɔto avɛk mɔ̃ smaʁtfɔn/
I took a photo with my smartphone. - PolicierMerci, votre témoignage est très précieux.6
/mɛʁsi vɔtʁ temwaɲaʒ ɛ tʁɛ pʁesjø/
Thank you, your testimony is very valuable.
How to read this IPA. These are broad French reference readings, edited as complete sentences. Accent, schwa and optional liaison vary; many speakers use /ɛ̃/ where this reference keeps /œ̃/. The mark ‿ highlights a word link; | marks a rhythmic break; ↑ and ↓ suggest pitch movement.
Word readings adapted from Lexique 3.83, Boris New and Christophe Pallier et al.; sentence readings and notes edited by Parle. Revised IPA and notes: CC BY-SA 4.0. See OQLF on obligatory, forbidden and optional liaison. Reviewed .
Culture and context in French
Read the situation beyond the individual lines.
Si vous voyez un accident, expliquez clairement ce qui s'est passé. Donnez les informations utiles à la police. Aidez les personnes en danger sans vous mettre en danger.
Four focused comparisons
Compare words before another full read.
Follow each card’s label and note. Some words differ by one sound, some share a pronunciation, and others differ more broadly. Use the sentence context when the words sound alike.
sang versus cent
/sɑ̃/ vs /sɑ̃/
These reference readings sound the same. Use spelling and sentence context to tell the forms apart.
blessé versus pressé
/blese/ vs /pʁese/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
secours versus séjour
/səkuʁ/ vs /seʒuʁ/
Compare the complete words. This is not a one-sound minimal pair.
Word IPA adapted from Lexique 3.83, Boris New and Christophe Pallier et al., with contextual readings and notes edited by Parle. Comparison transcriptions and notes: CC BY-SA 4.0. Broad reference readings vary with accent and speaking style. See OQLF’s liaison guidance and prosody reference. Reviewed .
Role-play routine
Keep the intention; change one detail.
- Read the exchange once for meaning without stopping at every IPA symbol.
- Repeat one speaker's turns and keep the other turns as prompts.
- Change one time, place, object, or preference while preserving the structure.
- Switch roles and answer without reading the original line word for word.
- Use the sound chart for a reference clip when a sound is difficult.
Safety boundary
This is language practice, not professional advice.
The dialogue does not diagnose, treat, provide emergency instructions, replace a clinician, or replace local emergency services. Use qualified help for real medical, legal, financial, or safety decisions.
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